We will remain
by amyy1995
Summary: Hayley Lewis is not your typical tribute. She volunteered simply because she knew it would piss off Cato. She didn't see things the way Panem saw them, and this particular tribute was intent on making everybody remember her name. That is unless a certain blonde-haired boy tries to kill her again...
1. Chapter 1

"You know you don't have to do this. Not because of him, anyways."

"I have to."

"No, you don't. You could stay here and get a job like your brother. You could have a family and build a life and…"

"I **want** to volunteer. I have trained for this my entire life."

"No, you don't. I know you Cato and…"

"Shut up."

Cato rolled off the bed, wanting to put some distance between him and the girl. The blonde haired boy put on his sweatpants and took a sip of water. He turned back to the bed where a girl was only visible when the moonlight shined through the window.

"The only reason you're here is because I wanted some fun before the Reaping tomorrow. If you're going to keep on whining you're of no good to me", he sneered.

The girl chuckled and shook her wavy hair free of a loose band that was keeping it together. "Oh, you want to play this game? Fine, I'm just your regular one night stand. So, what do I do now? Gush about how big your muscles are? How great you are in bed? How big your dick is?" She scoffed at him, "I'm not just another notch in your belt Cato and you know it."

He swirled around angrily, a dangerous gleam in his clear blue eyes. "What are you exactly? You're not my friend, you're definitely not my girlfriend and you're not even an academy friend. The sole thing I use you for is sex. You are nothing more to me."

The girl pulled a sweater over her head and pulled on her pants hurriedly. "Guess I'll be on my way than since I don't see anybody that gives a damn about me in the vicinity." She pushed past him in a cold manner, descends the stairs stealthily and disappears into the dark night without making a sound.

Cato sits on the edge of the unmade bed, the sheets still tangled because of the activities that took place not more than ten minutes ago. He pushed past the thought of going after her but decided against it. She didn't mean anything to him. She was a good fuck and he felt sorry for her difficult circumstances but that was where his feelings ended. He was a killing machine; he was programmed to have no emotions whatsoever. And tomorrow starts his journey to prove to everybody just how lethal he could be.

The citizens of two all lined up to see which of their children will be chosen to go compete in a game until the death. Of course, 2 always had volunteers and this year was no different. The mighty and brutal Cato is to be this year's male tribute, while the cold and calculating Clove was volunteering on behalf of the females. Cato followed the rest of his fellow male peers and glanced over at Clove who had a smirk on her face and a glint in her eyes. Cato knew just how excited Clove was to start the games, she had a killer in her and she finally could set him free. The unspoken words between them still hung above him as he wondered how he would feel if she died. As usual he pushed his feelings aside, chanting the mantra his father had so often imposed upon him "No feelings, no weaknesses."

As he continued to glance over the girls, his eyes rested on a particular girl which he had been with not more than 6 hours ago. Her hair was braided and up, not like her normal wavy and unkempt hair. She was still wearing her worn out jeans and crop top, despite the fact that they were ordered to come in their nicest clothes. He knew she could feel his gaze upon her face but a clench of her jaw told him that she wasn't going to look at him. He probably pushed her a bit too much last night. Everybody's attention returned back to the main stage as District 2's representative made her way to the mike stand at the middle of the platform.

Cato zoned out during the annual speak about freedom and shit, contemplating the view around him. Despite the fact that he was quite self-assured that he could definitely be a victor at these games there was still the possibility that he might never come back here. Never see his fellow trainees at the Academy. Never see his mother, his brothers. Never get to have a family of his own, something he so dearly longed for yet had never voiced to anybody. As he looked over to the girl he had been staring at previously he wondered if he would miss her. He had stayed up all night contemplating whether he had feelings for her or not. He never reached his decision and it was too late now. Pearl was reaching into the bowl full of boys' names and soon he will have to volunteer for some lucky son of a bitch who still has his whole life to look forward to. Not volunteering wasn't an option. He would be dead before sunset if he refused to volunteer.

"And the male tribute for District Two is…" Cato stepped out of his line and said the two words that were bound to change his life dramatically. Some people assumed that he cut off the representative simply because he was a cocky son-of-a-bitch, but he did because he honestly thought that he wouldn't muster up the courage if he had to wait another second. He made his way up to the stage, his big physique earning a mega-watt smile from the escort. Her hand fished into the bowl containing the female tributes.

"And the female tribute for District Two is… Cara Michelson" the escort announced, a mega-watt smile flashing across her colourful face. Cato grimaced internally as two peace-keepers dragged a twelve year old girl up to the stage. His eyes sought out Clove who was just about to step out of line when the words "I volunteer" came from a couple of rows behind Clove.

A smirking girl made her way up to the stage, her ponytail swinging from side to side as she basked in Cato's astonishment. The escort pushed the microphone towards the girl's lips and the name "Hayley Lewis" brought Cato back from the dream-like state that he was experiencing. He growled in anger as his green eyes connected with her oh-so-familiar hazel ones. Her eyes were playful and mischievous, but he knew her well enough to know that she was terrified behind her tough exterior. He gritted his teeth as they were led back where his family was waiting for him.

His father glared him down, "Don't bother coming back if you don't make me proud. I'd rather you die than you coward out and use the same tactic as Abernathy did."Cato ignored him as he turned his attention on his mother and elder brother. His mother forced a smile through tears and hugged him tightly "Come back to me. Please don't leave me." The peace keepers pushed him away from his mother's grasp where Hayley was waiting with the escort. He scowled at her. "If you think for one second, that I won't kill you in cold blood you are sadly mistaken. You are nothing to me." She scoffed and released her hair from its bounds. "And if you think I'm easy to kill, you're just plain stupid. You know very well what I've been through." With that she turned her back on him and stared blankly ahead.

His hand tightened to make a fist. He didn't care. He would kill her. He needed to get back home to his mother, he wouldn't leave her all alone with his monster of a father. He didn't care. If it came to it, he wouldn't hesitate. He would kill her.


	2. Chapter 2

Cato and Hayley were scurried onto the train by their overzealous escort, whose name Cato hadn't bothered to learn. She had a very complicated and Captiol-ish name so Hayley had taken to calling her Lissa, as an abbreviation of her true name. Lissa was like the rest of the brainwashed Capitol residents, emphasising to them what an honour it was to be a tribute. She also reminded them that Two had been short on victors recently, and it was up to them to break this unlucky streak. Cato looked over at Hayley who had maintained her blank poker face since their brief discussion before boarding the train. He wondered what was going through her mind; or rather what on earth had prompted her to volunteer instead of Clove. He tried to catch her eye but she ignored him and she followed Lissa to her assigned room to "rest". The implication was clearly that she didn't want anybody interrupting her. And by anybody she meant him. Not that he was going to pay attention to her. Plus this wouldn't be his first time sneaking into her room without permission. Although he supposed that what they usually did during those secret rendezvous was off the table for the moment. You know, considering he just threatened to kill her and all.

"Hayls?"

"Fuck off Cato."

She was lying on her stomach on the huge bed that took up most of the space in her room.

"Why'd you do it? Why did you volunteer? You know Clove was supposed to."

"Clove's just a kid. She has 3 more years to volunteer."

"She was chosen. Hayley, why did you do it?" Cato persisted. He wasn't going to let her change the subject, like she always does when she is reluctant to talk about things.

"I just felt like annoying you for a couple more weeks" she shrugged, her trademark smirk on her face. Oh, how well he knew that smirk. That smirk that could make him blind either with anger or with lust. In this particular instance it was the former. She was testing his patience and he wasn't particularly known for his tolerability. His fists clenched as he uttered the following words through gritted teeth.

"Tell me. Now."

"Tell you what?"

"Hayley..."

"Oh you meant about me volunteering...hmm"

He stormed over to her bed, grabbed her from her shirt and forcefully turned her towards him, grabbing her face roughly. "Talk you bitch"

She chuckled, unfazed by his violent outburst. "Why did I volunteer? Well let's see... Why the hell not?"

"You're going to have to be a little more specific than that."

"I'm not like you Cato. I don't have people caring for me back home. I have no-one. You're the closest thing I have to a friend, and that's saying something. I don't have anything left to lose Cato. Next year I will be kicked out from the orphanage and I don't have a place to go. I would have ended up on the streets and we both know what happens to those kids that end up alone. I did what was the best thing to do. For once I took charge of my own damn life."

Cato glared at her, "Great way to take charge. You're literally fresh meat for 23 hungry tributes, all of which have families and a reason why they should fight to be a victor"

Hayley chuckled: "Hey, I never said I was going to be a walkover, I won't be easy prey, not even for someone like you. I did train with you after all."

Cato let out a loud laugh, "You're crap at fighting Hayls and you know it"

"Or do I? You know as a street rat, you learn to never reveal all your secrets". She wiggled her eyebrows at him as she pushed him gently towards the door.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll find out in time. Now shoo, I'm dead beat". She slammed the door in his face, leaving him alone in the cold hallway.

What on earth could she mean by that? Cato pinned it down as her tactic, pretending to have something up her sleeve. Hayley was lean and nimble, mostly due to the fact that she wasn't well fed, and despite the fact that she was agile, she was weak. He could easily break her in half. Although, come to think of it he never fought against her, nor did he ever see her fight. He had supposed that this was so due to laziness on her part, but now a shadow of doubt crept up in his mind. Was she more of a treat than he had assumed?

* * *

Hayley flung herself on the bed and screamed into the pillow. What the hell had she gotten herself into? She hadn't actually planned on volunteering; it was more a spur of the moment kind of thing. She was caught up in the moment and Cato up on that stage literally reminded her of the pigs lined up for slaughter. She didn't volunteer for him, don't get her wrong, she merely realised just how unfair it was for the people of Panem to have to offer 24 of their children every year to die. Because really; everybody dies, no one truly lives. Every victor was a victim of the physiological effect that the games left on them. She had experienced the sudden urge to make a difference and change the way things were now. Of course she had no idea how the hell she was going to make a difference when she's lying in a pool of her own blood. But she wasn't completely helpless the district two's mayor had made training compulsory for all its inhabitants, so she had some sort of experience. And from what she could remember she was pretty damn good at it. Apparently having unresolved anger issues did somewhat help her. She loved hand to hand combat. The way she could take down even the strongest of opponents gave her a sense of superiority, something she had not often felt during her turbulent childhood.

She could hear Lissa calling for her all the way from the "living room". She supposed that her mentors had made their appearance, finally. She knew she was going to get an earful as Cato and Clove were handpicked among hundreds to represent their honourable district. Sure enough when she shuffled to the intricately decorated room, she was met with glares from both Brutus and Enobaria.

"Who the fuck are you?" Enobaria hissed, her teeth bared menacely.

"Hayley".

"That was a rhetorical question you piece of shit."

Hayley rolled her eyes as she sank down on the velvet sofa, suddenly aware of the fact that Lissa was nowhere to be seen and Cato had remained in his room. Her fists clenched as she remembered Lissa's words at the Reaping Ceremony; how important it was for district two to win due to their stale victor less recent years. She was certain that district two had more than enough incentive to cause an "accident" and get Clove back on the train she was supposed to be on in the first place.

_Oh god. This can't be good._

"Listen here you good for nothing slut..." God she would like nothing more than to rip out Enobaria's tongue and choke her with it. Although she supposed that it wasn't long enough to choke her. If so she would have already choked on it. Tongues were curious things she mused…

"… It is essentially important that District Two win these games. Due to our winless streak, other Districts have started to perceive us as weak, no longer the fierce competitors we once were. And we were sure to win. With a male tribute like Cato, and Clove, a lethal killing machine, we had no doubts about our high chance of victory. But then, _you volunteered instead of Clove _and you ruined everything."

Brutus cut in, sensing that Enobaria was going for a lengthy dramatic speech as was usual for her. "Basically we can't afford the time to train you. You have no experience to speak of whatsoever and it would be better if we spend more time focusing on Cato", He told her bluntly.

Hayley surveyed the previous victors and could see in their eyes that there was absolutely no compassion for her from their part. They were brought up ruthless killers and the games had only accentuated that character trait in them. Needless to say this was a trait that Cato had in common with them. Her anger brought hot water to her eyes and the edges blurred as she gritted her teeth. If she cries in front of them she might as well kill herself for appearing so weak.

"So you're basically offering me up as pig for slaughter?" she spat the words of angrily, fighting the building cascade of tears behind her eyes.

"No. You did that when you volunteered. This is your own mess, and the consequence is your life." Enobaria strutted across the room looking like the queen of god-knows-what. Hayley saw red. She was tired of being treated like nothing all her god-damn life and she sure as hell wasn't going to take it from some pompous victor who won because of her _teeth._ She grabbed Enobaria by her neck and slammed her to the closest wall. The look of surprise in Enobaria's eyes told her she wasn't expecting the sheer strength that emanated from Hayley. She tightened her hold, satisfied when Enobaria started pawing at her hands due to lack of air. Brutus had remained in his seat, surveying the situation that unfolded before him with a sceptical eye.

"I am not completely helpless. I also do not need your help. And if you think I will hesitate to kill your prized little tribute," she spat out "you're very wrong. This is your mistake. And you will rue the day that you pissed me off."

She released Enobaria who slumped to the ground gasping for air. "Nice talking to you," she smirked as she walked past an astounded Lissa who had come to see what all the ruckus was about.

As she closed the door to her room, she released a breath and ran her hands through her hair. Playing up a tough person was good for her image, but she was breakable and vulnerable. She wasn't as ruthless as the trained academy brats, and this was a weak link. She needed help and she needed it fast. Since her darling mentors weren't much help, she only had one more option left. It shouldn't be that hard considering she had a certain blonde-haired killer wrapped around her little finger. She smiled at herself in the mirror. These games were going to be different all right, this time no-one's coming out alive.

* * *

First off, I would like to say thanks for all those that Favorited/ Followed this story :) I hope you enjoyed this second chapter. Secondly, I would appreciate if people who view this could give me some feedback as I am new to this and I have no idea what I'm doing so... I would love it if you told me ways in which I could improve and make the story better :) Thank you xx


	3. Chapter 3

Cato stared at the brunette standing before him wondering if pigs were going to start soaring through the room soon. He was pretty sure that Hayley had just asked him for his help, but he must have been wrong because Hayley never asks anyone for help. He kept on staring blankly at her until she punched him sharply on his forearm.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

_Thump. _Another punch.

"You know what."

"Well excuse me; I'm not familiar with you asking for help. In fact I think you might be speaking a foreign language, so would you mind repeating what you said, very slowly?"

Another punch.

"Next one will land on your jaw, you privileged son of a bitch." The words came out in a growl, and Cato had the pleasure of seeing Hayley in a manner that he was not used to. She was trapped in a corner with no other option out. She needed him, _bad. _He grinned, this opportunity did not come knocking every other day, and he was going to relish every moment of making her beg.

"Why should I help you?"

"Cato, I will kill you, or God help me…"

"If you could kill me you wouldn't be asking for my help in the first place. I am clearly the biggest treat. I die and the rest is child's play."

"Actually we haven't seen the rest of the tributes yet. Maybe there is someone better than you." she threw a cheeky wink in his direction. "I take it back, don't need or want your help. I'll be fine by myself." She walked up to him until their faces were dangerously closed and looked him right into his steely cold eyes. "I always am."

As she walked away from him, making sure to sway her hips exaggeratingly, she turned back, her eyes drifting down his figure before making their way back up to his eyes, "You know, you can forget me even dealing with _that_ situation ever again." She smirked and left the room, knowing that she had left Cato exactly how she had intended to leave him. Confused and horny.

* * *

_Goddamn him_. God how she loathed him, she hated him with a burning white passion. He could rot in hell for all she cared. She didn't need his help, and she sure as hell isn't going to ask for his help again. She was pretty mad at herself for thinking she needed his help in the first place. She Hayley _fucking _Lewis and she's a tough ass bitch. She didn't need any man in shining armour to rescue her. And if there ever was to be a knight in shining armour it sure as hell wasn't going to be Cato. Their hook-ups were of a strictly platonic nature, and she didn't care for him one bit. She hated him and the rest of District Two's red blooded males that spend their childhood training so that they could _kill _other people.

Hayley wasn't like the rest of the privileged kids of District 2. She had a turbulent childhood losing her parents at a young age because of a run-in with the peacekeepers. She never knew the explicit details of why they were taken away from her, hell she didn't even know if they were dead or they had their tongue cut off and were in Snow's palace. After losing her parents she had moved in with her aunt and her family. She had quite happy memories of her years spent at home with her aunt, making sure that dinner was ready by the time Uncle Joel came home from work.

The most cherished part of her childhood was her cousin, Steve. He was 5 years older than her, and she loved him, he was her everything when she was young. He somehow understood what she was going through and was there for her on a level her aunt never could be. He could make her smile just by doing that weird motion he could do with his eyebrows. She could make her smile when the anniversary of her parents disappearance would come rolling around year after year. He showed her his 'safe place', a bench overlooking the city where it was quiet and there wouldn't be any of those noisy academy boys that she was terrified of when she was a child. Steve was a brother to her and she loved him dearly, which was why when he left to train at the academy, she felt like she lost a part of her heart. He would come home on the weekends but he slowly became more detached from her and their friendship waned. She longed for the days were should would have a nightmare and he would be right there on the edge of her bed offering chocolate that he would nick from his mother's hidden stash.

She remembered the day when it all changed…

_She was helping her aunt fix the table for dinner, knowing that it was a Friday and Steve would be coming back home, thus her aunt would make his favourite dish. Her uncle was in his study going over some numbers from work. She was twelve years old and she couldn't wait for Steve to come home so that she could tell him how excited she was to train with him at the academy next year. The door slammed shut and she flung the forks that were in her hand absentmindedly on the table as she ran down the hall and flung her arms around her cousin._

_Something was wrong. His arms hung limply by his side and he wasn't smiling. She raised her head to look at his face and saw that his face was ashen. _

"_What's the matter? What happened? Steve…"_

"_Not now Hayley."_

_He pushed her aside, and made his way into the kitchen. Uncle Joel banished Hayley to her room and she cried herself to sleep. No Steve came to comfort her. She felt hopelessly alone, and the fear that she would end up by herself became now more real than ever. It was a fear that had always occupied a part of her mind and now the fear became a full-blown panic attack. _

_The next day she went down to find her aunt, uncle and Steve all at the dining room table. She didn't remember much about that. She scarcely remembered Steve telling her that he had been chosen to volunteer, before she ran out of the house, running as far as her lungs could take her before she collapsed to the ground sobbing uncontrollably._

_It only took a couple of seconds for Steve to catch up with her. He sat next to her as she continued sobbing. _

"_I hate you"_

"_Hayley…"_

"_I mean it. You're just going to leave me. Just like they did."_

"_I don't have a choice"_

"_Yes you do. Tell them no."_

"_I can't do that."_

"_For me. Do it for me Steve."_

"_I can't. You and my parents could suffer the consequences if I do"_

"_You could die!"_

_He hung his head, "I know."_

_She stood up, brushing down her dress and she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I am not going to lose somebody else." _

Since that damned day she had become distant from everybody. She didn't help her aunt prepare dinner anymore. Her and Steve's friendship has dwindled fast, due to the fact that she refused to talk to him or even acknowledged his presence. The months rolled past and before she even knew it Reaping Day was with them. She refused to wear the dress her aunt her prepared for her, opting to go with her worn out jeans. Throughout the ceremony she was in a constant battle with herself, her pride not allowing her to cry. As the male tribute was announced and Steve's familiar voice called out "I volunteer" she lost it. She turned around blindly, her eyes connecting with his immediately, the brown clashing with her hazel ones. He offered her a soft smile as he headed up to the stage, standing tall and proud.

She remembered hugging him and making him promise that he would come back home. He smiled and kissed her cheek before moving on to embrace his parents. As he was dragged away by the peacekeepers, realization struck Hayley.

He never promised.

Hayley watched the Games with her aunt while her uncle would go to a nearby bar to drink away the worries about his son. She remembered seeing her cousin being brutally killed by his 'fellow' careers. Her aunt fell quickly into depression and her uncle buried himself into his work. Hayley was left completely and utterly alone. She acted out and ended up getting herself kicked out of the Academy for throwing a knife at a fellow Academy student. She spiralled out of control and started hanging out with the worst kind of people in District Two. The street rats. She had seen things that no 15 year old should ever see. She lost control of her life but she was too proud to return back to her aunt. She decided to leave home so that her aunt didn't have to worry about her anymore. With a job in a nearby coffee shop she could maintain herself, and thus were the most miserable two years of her life, from 13 to 15 years old.

Then she met Cato.

* * *

Cato was relaxing on his bed, his mind replaying the previous scene with Hayley. He knew that his chances to win the games were high in his favour, considering that he was the Academy's pet. He knew that later on today the other tributes will be shown, but he was confident that he still would be named favourite. As for Hayley, she didn't have to ask, he will help her to a certain extent, although if it comes down to it, he would spare no mercy.

Lissa's annoying high pitched voice came floating down the corridor. "Cato, Hayley, the other tributes are being shown. Come out!"

He propped himself up and stood up, slightly flexing his muscles so that he could get back into his 'tough boy' persona. His bantering with Hayley had allowed him to relax in a way only she could get him to. He didn't mean that in a floppy, cheesy way. She knew him and he knew her and she was the only person he could completely relax with. Probably because there were no expectations. She didn't expect the big, bad Cato or the womanising Cato. She simply wanted friendship, a feeling that he reciprocated. The comfortableness between them inevitably led to sex, and goddamn him if it wasn't great. He missed it, not simply the sex… although since he was a guy he did miss the sex, quite badly, he missed being close with a person, even if that person could sometimes be an insufferable bitch.

He opened the door and made his way to the makeshift living room there was seeing Hayley on the sofa, alone with Brutus and Enobaria standing awkwardly at the side. He flung himself next to her, squashing her a bit on purpose. He offered her a smile that she weakly returned, before placing a hand on her leg in comfort, making sure it couldn't be seen by the mentors.

However, this action didn't go by unnoticed by Lissa, who smiled despairingly, knowing what fate awaited her tributes.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and sorry for the delayed update but I received exam results and a lot happened but the new chapter is finally here :) As usual reviews and feedback would be greatly appreciated, and I would like to thank all the people who are following the story. Special thanks goes to hungergamesisamazing for the review :)


	4. Chapter 4

Cato's hand remained there as Caesar went through the yearly bullshit of how honorable and important the games were. Hayley had started fidgeting near him, a tell-tale sign that she was uncomfortable. He tried to soothe her by running his thumb in a circular motion across her knee. It didn't work. He opted for another method that had a 98% chance of getting him slapped. He slid his hand gently up her leg, making her way up her thigh, going on the inside of her leg...

Hayley slammed her legs shut trapping his hand between them. She turned to glare at him before extracting his hand and throwing it on his own lap. Cato sighed; at least she stopped fidgeting.

"And finally, our tributes for the 74th Hunger Games!" Caesar announced excitedly. Brutus and Enobaria stepped forward in order to analyze the competition. "From District 1 we have the lovely Marvel and Glimmer!" A brunette boy and a petite blonde came on the screen. Cato could swear that he heard Hayley growl at the sight of the female tribute. "Pay attention to them, they will most likely be your allies" Brutus said quietly. "Maybe when hell freezes over", Hayley shot back, much to Cato's surprise. He could literally _feel _Enobaria's cold gaze which was directed at Hayley. He has assumed that they wouldn't be pleased with the fact that she had volunteered in Clove's place but he didn't think that they would treat her with such disdain. The footage quickly shifted to District Two where Cato could see himself volunteering, and was pleased to see that his greater-than-thou persona was quite convincing. He looked cool, determined and lethal. He realized that the other tributes watching this at this instant would be terrified now that they knew who they were going up against. The thought made him smirk a little. The footage of Hayley volunteering followed by a very audible gasp from the Academy students. Cato noticed how the camera had picked up his change in expression. His bored expression had changed to one of panic and concern when he realized what Hayley had done.

The footage cut to Caesar discussing excitedly with Claudius, "Did you see that? Did you see that? My my, I do believe that there might be some sort of history between those two. Did you see the way Cato panicked when she volunteered? So romantic…Ahhh young love, but alas so tragic its ending must be, Claudius". Caesar hung his head in a show of sadness, while his colleague agreed with him. "Indeed, Caesar, their involvement in these games means that only one of them will make it out alive." "Quite correct you are Claudius. Well, it appears that we already have a terrific story and we're only up to District Two! We must continue to the other tributes, but I tell you Caesar, those two are going to be quite the popular pair here; Cato with his strength and Hayley with her determination, those two are going to be a force to be reckoned with!"

The footage cut to the tributes of District 3, also a part of the Career pack, despite Cato's protests that he could easily kill them. The rest of the tributes seems relatively easy and weak, neither Hayley nor Cato would have any problems with any of them. When it came to district 11 however, the male tribute, Thresh proved to equal Cato in size. This factor obviously angered Cato as he glared intently at the screen, already seeing the games coming down to a final fight between him and eleven. The female tribute took Hayley by surprise. She was such a young girl, and she looked so innocent and sweet-looking that her first instinct was to protect her. Cato scoffed, as he turned to face Brutus telling him that his only serious competition this year was the male from eleven. He had eliminated twelve out since year after year they would only introduce malnourished, weak tributes that would normally fall in the blood bath. The male tribute didn't look weak by any means, but he could only serve as a warm up for Cato.

"I volunteer, I volunteer as tribute!" The words hung in the air of district twelve as they looked upon their first volunteer in the history of the games. As the footage cut to Claudius and Caesar, Enobaria turned off the screen. She spoke directly to Cato, not even acknowledging Hayley. "You will be the leader of the Careers, both tributes of 1 and 3 and if you want 4. Go to bed and rest, it'll be a long day tomorrow". With that she turned on her heel and exited the room with Brutus hot on her heel.

Cato motioned towards the empty spot that Enobaria had left, "What did they want to talk to you about?" "None of your business" she replied curtly, her mind still processing the tributes that she had just seen. "Do you think twelve will be a problem?" Cato shrugged, "No, I don't think so. Guess we'll find out tomorrow though."

Hayley gulped nervously. She hated crowds, hated the feeling that she was being stared at. She knew that she wasn't particularly great looking; she graded herself as an average when it came to looks, despite Cato's assurance that she was far from average. She knew that she was going to have cameras shoved at her face, and cameras monitoring her every move, and she wasn't sure how she was going to handle that.

"They've already set us up to be the next Romeo and Juliet", Cato remarked, speaking of a piece of literature that had survived through the war and had served as a reminder to remind the people of Panem howsick the people were to consider such a tragic tale as the best love story of all time. Personally, she though it was all very depressing. They finally get to be together and the idiot Romeo couldn't be bothered to check for a pulse. It was quite comical if you think about it.

"Well, I supposed that it could very well end up like that" she muttered quietly. She knew that Cato was set on winning, and she didn't know if he would kill her in order to get what he wants.

Cato sighed and buried his head in his hands. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I was supposed to win and come back and…"

Hayley scoffed, "And what? We would have been together? That's a bit farfetched Cato."

"It could have happened. Of course, now I'll never know."

"I can tell you what would have happened. You would've come back all haunted with the deaths you've caused. You wouldn't have been the same Cato anymore. You would've found some blond bimbo and settled down with her, not annoying old me. That's what would've happened"

Cato chuckled, "That does sound more like something I would do. Yea, I would have found someone like that Glimmer chick from One."

There was no mistaking the growl that emitted from Hayley's throat this time. She hated those types of girls, all cute and pretty and _pink. _She was girly but not to that extreme. She wouldn't mind wearing a skirt every now and then but not every goddamn day for crying out loud!

"That bitch I won't mind killing" she spat out, shocked at the fact that she threw the word "_kill" _as an exaggeration, but she might have no choice but to kill, a couple of days from now. Reality came crashing down on her and she collapsed in a heap on the couch ignoring Cato's worried pleas.

She was trapped. With no way out. It was either kill or be killed. She wasn't sure if she had it in her to end a person's life. She wasn't sure that she could end a tribute that was a son or a daughter, a cousin, a brother or sister, might be someone's husband or wife in the future. She knew the hate she had felt towards the tribute that had killed her cousin, the families of the tributes she was going up against would feel the exact same hate. They were a bunch of kids thrown in a place to slaughter one another, and the sadness of the situation brought tears in her eyes. The tears weren't necessarily from sadness but rather from the pure anger she was feeling. Her chest was heaving and she would have broken a tooth if Cato hadn't snapped her out of reverie.

"Talk to me, babe. What's up?"

_Babe. _That sweet, sweet word that stirred memories that Hayley didn't necessary want to review at that moment. Still they popped up in her head one by one, Cato bringing her food when she was starving, forcing her to attend those stupid fighting lessons, sneaking her into his room on the particularly cold nights, their first kiss, their first serious argument when they didn't talk for two weeks, and their first time. _Her first time. _It wasn't perfect, far from it. It hurt like hell but she enjoyed the closeness, and he became like a drug to her. She was literally his whore, creeping to his room for sex. She needed him, and the sex was a way to avoid talking about what the hell was going on between them. Sex helped in not talking about that winter day when he saved her from that gang of low-lives. Sex helped in forgetting about her past life with her aunt, helped to forget her cousin, even if only for a brief period of time. And right now she needed it. She needed to forget about all this shit.

"Cato…"

"Yea?"

"Let's go to your room."

"I don't think that's the best idea right…"

"I don't give a damn. Come on."

She pulled his arm and made her way to his room, Cato trailing slowly behind her. This was routine for them. She would be upset about something and instead of talking about it; she would shut him up and sleep with him. He had never turned her down, after all he was a guy, but it still infuriated him that she wouldn't let him help her. Watching her take off her shirt, he walked over to her, his hands slowly trailing from her collar bone to her hips. She kept her eyes on his face, as if wanting to imprint it in her memory. She tugged at the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head, and smirking slightly when she saw his defined abs. She trailed his fingers over his muscles giggling slightly when he pulled away due to her cold hands. Cato leaned down, finally connecting his lips with hers. They settled into a familiar embrace, his hands around her waist and hers encircled around his neck. Only a night ago they were in a very similar position. Funny how much had happened in only 24 hours. He pushed her slowly on the bed, never leaving her lips. The girl was toxic. After the first touch, he kept on craving more. She wasn't like the rest of the girls he had slept with. He wanted more of her, and the more he had the more he wanted. She was in his arms tonight but there was no saying if she would even be alive in the next weeks.

"I'll protect you. I swear."

Hayley closed her eyes, as he pushed slowly inside her. She moaned quietly, as the familiar feeling of closeness took over her. She kissed Cato's lips once more, his lips making a path down to her neck.

"Don't make promises you can't keep Cato." 

* * *

So sorry for the long wait again, but I was super busy :/ I was supposed to upload on Tuesday but the whole Teen Wolf drama shocked me...I'm not going to spoil what happen if there are any readers who haven't watched it yet ;) Anyway, enjoy and as usual reviews would be much appreciated, especially criticism as this is my first time writing a proper story :) Thanks for all those who Favorited and followed :) xxx


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